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An  Appeal  to  the  People  of  Alabama- 


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EXECUTIVE      r>EI»^^IiT]\IEIVT, 

Montgomery,  Alabama,  Deo.  22tl,  1862. 

In  view  of  tlic  anticipated  crtoct  of  tlio  Cimscriiit  law  "lion  tlio  militiii  system  of  the  btate,  on 
the  12th  da}-  of  May  last  I  invited  the  .nhlc-hodicd  men  of  Alabama,  not  subject  to  con.'icription,  to 
form  volunteer  Companies.  That  invitation  did  not  receive  the  attention  it  merited.  , The  Legis- 
lature has  adopted  no  law  for  the  improvement  of  the  militia  organization  of  the  State.  The 
impaired  condition  of  that  system  leaves  no  means  of  making  the  remaining  military  strength  of 
the  State  available  for  its  protection  and  defense  except  by  the  formation  of  volunteer  Companies. 

The  State  is  now  threatened  from  several  directions.  Our  unscrupidous  foe  has  collected  all 
his  resources  for  one  stupendous  ctibrt  to  subjugate  and  enslave  us.  lie  can  never  repeat  the  effort. 
lie  makes  it  the  crisis  of  his  cause.  If  foiled  in  this  last  desperate  struggle,  exhausted  and  dispir- 
ited he  must  yield  the  contest.  Our  brave  pco[ile  may  congratulate  themselves  upon  the  opportu- 
nity to  hasten  the  achievement  of  peace  and  independence,  by  an  exhibition  of  the  fortitude  and 
courage  necessary  to  defeat  the  enemy  in  this  last  great  and  convulsive  effort.  Tiie  ultimate  triumph 
of  our  glorious  cause  is  now  clearer  than  it  has  ever  been.  There  is  no  reason  for  despondency. 
Our  people  will  not  shrink  in  this  their  iinal  trial.  The  splendid  victory  at  Fredericksburg  will 
be  followed  by  still  more  decisive  results  upon  other  fields.  l?y  repeated  shocks  the  enemy's  vastly 
accumulated  power  will  Jjc  broken.  At  no  distant  day  we  shall  enjoy,  in  the  blessings  of  peace 
a\id  good  goveruracnt,  a  reward  for  all  our  sulfering.  Alabama  must  be  true  to  herself  and  do  her 
dut}'  in  the  emergency.  She  must  be  ready  to  meet  and  quell  the  domestic  and  social  disturbances 
which  may  spring  u\)  as  the  tide  of  war  approaches;  to  resist  hostile  raids;  to  protect  her  people 
and  their  property  in  any  assailed  (piarter;  to  give  death  to  every  wanderer  from  tiie  lines  of  our 
invading  army,  and  if  need  bo  to  increase  the  strength  of  the  Confederate  forces  lighting  upon  our 
soil  in  its  defense.  For  the  aocomplishmcrt  of  these  objects  she  looks,  and  can  only  look,  to  the 
voluntar\'  movement  of  a  patriotic  people — too  brave  to  suffer  their  cities  and  towns  to  bo  sacked, 
their  homes  to  be  desecrated,  and  their  country  to  be  desolated  without  striking  a  manl}-  blow  in 
their  defense.  I  therefore  call  again  ujiou  the  men  and  youths  of  the  State,  exempted  from  the 
service  of  the  Confederate  States  by  reason  of  their  age  or  other  cause,  who  are  capable  of  bearing 
arms,  to  speedily  organize  themselves  into  Companies  to  eonstitnie  a  reserved  force,  subject  to  ser- 
vice in  this  State  upon  the  call  of  the  Executive.  The}'  will  be  called  into  service  only  when 
necessity  requires  it.  Their  services  may  never  be  needed,  but  it  is  the  part  of  wisdom  and  manly 
courage  to  be  ready.  U,  is  the  i>art  of  l"ol!y  and  cowardice  to  wait  until  the  enemy's  foot  is  upon 
our  soil,  and  his  muski-'ts  gleam  in  the  hands  of  brutal  soldiers  at  our  doors.  Shall  I  call  in  vain 
upon  Alabamians  to  prepare  to  stand  tind  tight  upon  their  own  soil  in  its  defense?  Alabama  has 
given  freely  of  her  sons  to  our  country's  cause,  but  her  warlike  strength  is  not  yet  exhausted.  1 
.send  to  her  people  my  warning,  and  I  leave  it  for  them  to  decide  whether  in  the  hour  of  trial,  which 
may  be  before  us,  they  will  be  ready  with  as  much  of  the  remaining  military  strength  of  the  State 
as  may  be  required. 

People  of  Alabama!  I  must  appeal  to  you  for  your  aid  to  the  Covernment  in  another  matter.  It 
is  due  to  the  great  cause  in  which  we  are  engaged,  it  is  just  to  those  now  bravely  enduring  the 
trials  and  perils  of  actual  war,  that  all  within  the  ages  prescribed  by  the  act  of  Congress  known  as 


llie  Conscript  law,  should  bo  in  tlio  suivicc.  A  coiisiclerablc  uuiuber  of  persoua  in  cveiy  part  of 
the  State,  both  officers  and  privates,  who  belong  to  the  army  and  are  fit  for  duty,  are  lingering  at 
home  upon  various  pretext.?,  while  their  more  manly  and  patriotic  comrades,  with  ranks  thinned 
a!id  weakened  by  their  absence,  bear  the  shock  of  an  unequal  contest.  So,  too,  a  hirge  number  of 
person.^  suliject  to  conscription  are  shrinking  from  the  toils  and  perils  which  those  ot  like  age  are 
bravely  enduring,  and  hiding  from  the  enrolling  officer,  to  whom  patriotism  requires  that  they 
should  promptly  report  themselves.  Now  when  the  last  great  struggle  of  the  war  is  upon  us;  now 
when  there  is  an  opportunity  to  share  in  the  closing  triumphs  of  tliis  great  contest ;  now  when  our 
soldiers  in  tlie  liehi,  standing  with  fearless  resolution  amid  suilerings  and  dangers,  which  would 
appall  men  less  noble  and  brave,  call  upon  those  of  like  age  with  themselves  for  aid  and  relief ; 
now  when  every  strong  right  arm  is  needed  to  strike  the  quick  and  eflectivc  blows  which  are  to 
give  us  peace,  it  is  a  shame  and  an  iniquity  that  those  two  classes  of  persons  should  successfully 
evade  the  service  they  owe  to  their  country.  Every  community  owes  it  to  its  own  reputation  and 
to  the  country,  to  give  no  shelter  to  those  wiio  belong  to  the  two  classes  above  described,  and  to 
drive  then),  by  the  withering  punishment  of  public  scorn,  to  their  proper  places.  1  call  upon  all 
the  officer.'!,  civil  and  military  of  the  State,  and  upon  all  good  and  patriotic  citizens,  to  give  all  their 
influence,  personal  or  official,  to  constrain  those  persons  into  tiie  path  of  duty  and  patriotism  :  and 
I  especially  invoke  them  to  give  their  aid  to  the  proper  ofRcersin  arresting  and  coercing  those  who 
yield  to  no  gentler  means.  It  ma)-  be  a  disagreeable  task,  but  the  evil  is  great  and  ruinous  to  our 
country's  cause,  and  it  is  the  part  of  the  patriot  now  to  shrink  from  no  task,  however  disagreeable 
or  dangerous  it  ma}-  be,  when  the  country  calls.  It  is  the  pride  of  Alabama  that  her  soldiers  never 
falter  upon  the  battlc-lield.  Let  us  hope  that  none  will  be  permitted  to  hide  under  cover  of  home 
from  their  appropriate  duty. 

I  subjoin  directions  to  guide  in  the  formation  of  Companies  under  this  proclamation : 

1.  Each  Company  must  consist  of  not  less  than  forty  Privates,  four  Corporals,  four  Sergeants, 
two  Lieutenants,  and  a  Captain.  When  the  number  of  Privates  in  a  Company  exceeds  sixty,  it 
shall  be  entitled  to  another  Lieutenant.  The  Captain  and  Lieutenants  will  be  elected  by  the  Com- 
pany, and  the  non-commissioned  officers  will  be  appointed  by  the  Captain. 

2.  As  soon  as  the  requisite  number  of  men  have  been  enrolled,  and  the  Contpau}-  officers  have 
been  appointed,  the  Captain  will  make  out  the  muster  roll,  showing  the  name,  age  and  rank  of 
every  member  of  the  Company,  accompanied  by  the  oertiQcate  of  the  commanding  officer  to  the 
correctness  of  the  roll.  These  muster  rolls  will  be  at  once  forwarded  to  Gen.  11.  P.  Watson,  Adju- 
tant General  of  Alabama  Militia,  when  the  Company  will  be  at  once  accepted  into  the  service  of 
the  State. 

3.  The  Companies  thus  formed  will  be  subject  tu  the  order  of  the  Governor,  but  will  not  be 
called  into  actual  service,  ('xeopt  in  cases  of  urgent  necessity,  and  then  they  will  be  employed  only 
for  pur[)0scs  of  local  and  State  defense. 

4.  Each  Company  will  provide  its  own  arihs  as  far  as  possible,  anil  the  deficiency  will  be 
supplied  by  the  State,  when  the  Compau}-  is  called  into  actual  service.  Captains  of  Companies 
will  be  authorized  to  purchase  all  the  powder  and  lead  which  can  be  procured  in  their  respective 
neigliborhoods,  and  upon  properly  certilied  vouchers  the  State  will  [lay  for  the  same,  which  will  be 
retained  for  Company  use,  to  be  accounlcd  for  by  Company  commamlei's.  It  is  earnestly  hopcil  that 
every  man  in  tlie  State  who  has  in  his  possession  either  arms  or  munitions  »vhich  he  is  not  able  to 
use  in  the  public  service,  will  place  them  at  the  disposal  of  his  neighbors  who  attach  themselves  to 
this  organization. 

5.  It  is  not  intended  that  this  organization  shall  interfere  with  the  business  pursuits  of  the 
people,  as  the  companies  will  only  be  called  into  service  in  cases  of  actual  necessity  ;  but  for  the 
purpose  of  acquiring  some  proficiency  in  drill,  I  request  that  in  all  our  cities  and  large  towns  the 
business  hours  ma}'  be  closed  at  8  o'clock  P.  M.,  that  the  balance  of  the  day  ma}'  be  devoted  to 
drilling;  and  that  companies  organized  in  the  country  will  drill  as  often  as  practicable,  not  to  inter- 
fere too  seriously  with  their  industrial  pursuits.  Even  should  this  arrangement  occasion  some 
inconvenience,  the  public  safety  requires  it,  and  no  good  citizen  will  hesitate  to  adopt  it. 


G.  All  companies  reiiortcd  under  tliiri  procliunation  will  bo  enrolled  as  part  of  the  State 
Guard.  When  called  into  service,  they  will  be  paid  and  subsisted  by  the  State  as  other  troops. 
Should  it  be  thought  necessary,  the  companies  will  be  united  into  battalions  and  regiments,  and  in 
that  event,  the  field  officers  will  be  appointed  by  the  Governor. 

7.  AH  companies  desiring  to  do  so,  may,  by  complying  with  its  provisions,  be  regarded  as  an 
organization  under  the  act  of  Congress  of  18tli  October,  1802,  a  copy  of  which  is  appended  to  this 
proclamation.     Companies  desiring  to  be  so  organized  should  report  to  me. 


In  TEbTi.MONY  Whereof,  I,  John  Gill  Shorter,  Governor  of  the 
State  of  Alabama,  have  hereunto  set  my  hand,  and  caused 
the  Great  Seal  oT  the  Stateto  be  affixed,  this  the  22d  day  of 
December,  A.  I).  1862,  and  of  the  Confederate  States  the 
second  year. 


JOHN   GILL  SHORTER, 

Governor  of  Alabama. 


By  the  Governor  : 

P.  11.  BRITTAiV, 

Secrclari/  of  State. 


To  authorize  the  formation  of  \'oluntccr  Companies  for  Local  Defense. 

TIk:  Co)if/rc.ss  v/  t/'C  Confederate  Slates  do  ciiaet,  That  for  the  purpose  of  local  defense  in  any  por- 
tion of  the  Confederate  States,  any  number  of  persons,  not  less  than  twenty,  who  are  over  tlie  age 
of  forty-iive  years,  or  olliorwiso  not  liable  to  military  duty,  may  associate  themselves  as  a  military 
company,  elect  their  own  olliccrs  and  establish  rules  and  regulations  for  their  own  government,  and 
shall  be  considered  as  belonging  tij)  the  Provisional  Army  ot  the  Confederate  States,  serving  without 
pay  or  allowances,  and  entitled,  when  captured  by  the  enemy,  to  all  the  privileges  of  prisoners  of 
war:  Provided,  That  such  company  sliali,  as  soon  as  practicable,  transmit  their  muster  roll  or  a  list 
of  the  names  of  the  officers  and  privates  to  the  (rovernor  of  the  State,  the  commanding  General  of 
the  department,  or  any  Brigadier  General  in  the  State  or  Confederate  service,  to  be  forwarded  to 
the  Secretary  of  War,  but  the  ['resident  or  the  commander  of  the  Militar\-  District  may,  at  any 
time,  disband  such  companies:  Proeidcd,  That  in  the  States  and  Districts  in  which  the  acts  entitled 
"an  act  to  provide  for  the  public  defense,"  approved  April  10th,  1862,  and  the  acts  amendatory 
thereof,  have  been  suspended,  persons  of  an\-  age,  resident  within  such  States  of  Districts,  may 
volunteer  and  form  such  companies  so  long  as  such  suspension  niay  continue :  Provided,  hoirever, 
That  no  person  shall  become  a  member  of  said  company  until  he  shall  have  lirst  taken  the  oath  of 
allegiance  to  the  Confederate  States  of  Aiiierica  in  writing,  a  cojiy  of  which  shall  bo  filed  with  the 
muster  roll  of  said  compau}-  as  above  prescribed. 

Approved  October  10,  1862. 


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